Torah Teasers Parshas KORACH
1. Shortly after Korach began the feud with Moshe, Moshe called to speak to Dasan and Aviram in order to make peace. According to the Kli Yakar, Dasan and Aviram suspected that since they were the ring leaders, Moshe was going to bribe them with important positions in order for them to exit the fray, and then the whole feud would lose its steam. What stopped them? Ans… They wanted Moshe gone more than stature. This is seen from their response to Moshe of, “Lo Naaleh; we won’t go up,” meaning: up in stature and position. This also explains the reference to their accusation of Moshe blinding them. The pasuk in Devarim says that accepting bribes “blinds even the wise.” They claimed that the reason for refusing this offer (that was never made) was that even if they were to accept the offer and turn a blind eye, Moshe cannot blind all the people and that their accepting the offer would only lend additional credence to the accusations that Moshe was in this for himself.
2. Moshe Rabbeinu challenges Korach. He tells all of Bnei Yisrael that if Hashem kills Korach in a miraculous way then, “Vidatem Ki Niatzu HaAnashim HaEileh Es Hashem; You will know that these people angered Hashem,” (Korach 16:30). Why do they need to die in a miraculous way? Wouldn’t it prove Moshe is right if they all just die on the spot and he alone remains standing? Ans… The Meshech Chochma explains that the tragedy of the whole fight was that Korach, Dasam, and Aviram, who were all great people, knew that Moshe and Aharon were appointed by Hashem, and that everything Moshe did came from Hashem’s command. Had they truly believed otherwise, it would have made the aveira less severe. Their gravest crime was that they told these lies simply as a way to ignite a rebellion among the people. It was the rest of Bnei Yisrael that was caught in this web, having bought into the lies that Korach spread. Therefore, Moshe does not tell the people that if Korach dies it will prove that Moshe is right. He tells the people that if a great miracle occurs and these people suffer a horrific fate, it will prove, Ki Niatzu HaAnashim – that Korach knew the truth and did what he did simply to cause anger to Hashem. You don’t need a miracle to prove who is right, but you need a miracle to prove what is in the heart of a person.
3. A careful reading of the pasukim in this week’s parsha shows that it doesn’t mention Korach’s death explicitly, only that of his group. The 250 people who joined Korach were burned to death. Dasan and Aviram were swallowed alive in the earth. What happened to Korach? Ans… There is an opinion in the Gemara (Sanhedrin 110a) that Korach did not die with those who were burnt or those swallowed by the earth, but he actually died later in a plague. Another opinion says that Korach was both burnt and swallowed into the earth. When the 250 people began to bring their Ketores, Korach joined them, and was consumed by fire. He was standing near the pit, which opened up for Dasan and Aviram, and rolled in to the open mouth of the earth. According to the latter opinion, the reason Korach received both punishments is, if he had only been burnt and not swallowed, Dasan and Aviram would have complained, “Why were we burnt as followers of Korach, while Korach himself was not?” If he would have been swallowed, but not burnt, the 250 people would have had a similar complaint. He, therefore, received both punishments. The fire burnt his Neshama, and his body rolled into the open mouth of the earth.
4. Korach took Moshe up on his challenge to bring Kitores, to see who is right. Rashi asks, “Was Korach a fool?” He answers that they were not fools but rather, “Chatu Al Nafshosam; They sinned on their souls.” What does this mean, and how does it answer the question? Ans… The Iturei Torah brings in the name of the Chasam Sofer the rule in Hilchos Taaruvos, “Min BiMino Afilu BaElef Lo Batel’ – two like substances can not be mivatel each other no matter how small an amount is mixed with the other.” In a play on words of this Chazal– Min, an apikorus, BiMino, in his apikurses, Afilu BaElef Lo Batel, even in a thousand years will never change his position. This sentiment is brought in the Gemara (Avodah Zara 17). Rashi tells us that Korach was not a fool. If he were, the challenge of the Kitores would have made him back down. Rather he was a Min, an apikores, and an Apikores never ever changes his mind, no matter what threat faces him.
5. “Madua Tisnasi’u Al Khal Hashem” (Korach 16:3). It seems strange that Korach would suddenly challenge Moshe Rabbeinu’s leadership. After all, was it not Moshe who took them out of Mitzrayim? Was it not Moshe who split the Yam Suf? Was it not Moshe who stood on top of Har Sinai? Was it not Moshe who went to Shamayim to bring down the Torah? Where was Korach in all this and why now does he feel that the leadership is his? Ans… Rav Shimon Schwab answers that Korach came to complain after the failed mission of the Miraglim. In the aftermath Hashem said that this generation will not go into Eretz Yisroel but rather die in the Midbar where they would spend the next forty years. Korach knew that Moshe was the leader who should bring Bnei Yisroel into Eretz Yisroel, but that was no longer the plan. For this extended stay in the Midbar they needed a new kind of leadership of which Korach thought he was the most worthy.
6. The gemara (Sotah 13b) says that Moshe told Korach “Rav Lachem Bnei Levi”, you have taken too much upon yourselves, sons of Levi, and so, when he asked Hashem to go into Eretz Yisroel, Hashem used the same language in rejecting his plea, “Rav Lach Al Tosif Daber Eilai Od BaDavar HaZeh”, it is too much – do not speak to me about this matter any more (VaEschanan 3:26). What is the connection? What did Moshe do wrong to Korach that he deserved to have this thrown back into face in his moment of truth? ANS… Rav Lipa Rabinowitz of Manchester says as follows. The Achronim say that Korach’s agenda was to be mikayem more mitzvos. He wanted the Kehuna so that he can do the Avodah in the Mishkan. Even when it comes to mitzvos, Moshe told him, there are boundaries given to each person and when Continued next page….

crossed, it becomes an aveira rather than a mitzva. A Kohen has a mitzva doing the avodah, not so a Zar who is severely punished. Moshe told Korach “Rav Lachem Bnei Levi”. Do not force your way to extra mitzvos. It is not your destiny and will only bring you trouble. Similarly, Moshe Rabbeinu yearned to go into Eretz Yisroel to be Mikayem the mitzvos that one can only perform in Eretz Yisroel. Hashem as a final verdict gives Moshe mussar and says, Rav Lach! It is not your destiny to be Mikayem Mitzvos in Eretz Yisroel and do not push too hard, just like you told Korach many years ago.

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